Crystal River current., 1887-05-14
How to Use a Pistol.

WAS Ill SANTA Z uuTInE IuuCu VI ttIc
legislative session Just closed, trying to
pass a bill creating Logan county out
of the county of Grant. 1t took the
measure three weeks to die of exhaus-
ton, and as Mr.. Whitehill had little to
do except watching it, he was never too
busy to chat about his old friends in
the east. Du ring long conversation
to day, he remarked.
'1t's funny. but every tenderfoot
thinks that all cowboys carry double
acting, or some call them self-cocking,
revolvers. There was time when
those weapons were in high favor. but
the cowboys soon found that they were
positively unhandy instead of being u
help to man in hurry. Now self
cooking pistols are boycotted. I'll bet
four-f ifths of the cowboys in this terri
tory have gone back TO the old style
single acting pistol. Two years ago
everybody had dou ble-acting gun and
wouldn't have any other"
"Why, don't they like the new
style?'
mo. They discovered that. try as
they would. they could not avoid de-
fleeing the muzzle of the pistol to the
right while pulling the trigger to raise
the hammer. You see all the power is
applied from the right hand side of the
trigger. where you put your finger in.
Now, when you pull the trigger for the
comparatively long period necessary to
get the double-acting hammer up to
the point where the spring is released
Il f,)1 IA x-
pressure on the right-hand side and
can't help swaying the muzzle in that
direction. When the double-acting
guns were in style here we used to
notice that five out of every six men
who got shot were wounded in the left
side. OF these about one half were
shot so far to the left that the ball SIM
ply graZed their ribs. Another large
percentage were shot in The inner side
of the left arm. Now the cowboy
prides himself on hitting the dead CEN
ter of his opponent. 1t is always his
wish to put the ball right at the june
lure of the ribs above the stomach.
This IS not merely because they want
to put on style: the placing OF As
caliber ball right there prevents your
man from coming back at you. Now,
as soon as the cowboys began to note
this queer feature OF the shooting. it
became matter of serious moment to
them. They quickly found the fault to
be in the self-cocker. which by def1ect-
ing their muzzies of course inclined
the balls toward the left side OF the
man facing them in front. That set
tied the self-cocker The fact the cow
boys were right is proven b. the stimuli
taneous disappearance OF the new style
and reappearance OF the Old style
wound.
but can't one shoot faster with the
new style weapon? asked the tender
foot:
did you ever see cowboy shoot?"
smile. ''Why. see here. this is ~ SINGLE
acting. old-style pistol Watch that
tree"
Before the words were well uttered
the handsome sheriff had got the drop
on the growing timber and six shots
rang out in such rapid succession that
they sounfed like the explosion of a
small pack OF very large fire crackers
During the shooting Mr.. Whitehil's
lett foretnger vIbrated along the top
OF the pistol barrel from lnuzzle to
breech. The six balls filled the tree
| about three inches apart.
Now, l carry my p stol fixed this
way and it's all ready for use" he con-
| tinued, exhibiting the weapon. 1t was
of - cal!ber. about eighteen inches
long. and handsomely mounted. The
trigger was tied firmly back against
The inner side OF the guard with raw
hide thong.
"All have to do with it, explained
the eX-peace guardian, .'Is TO brush the
hammer back as far as it will go with
my lett forefinger while 1 hold the pis-
| toll firmly with my right hand. NV
| right forelinger never goes near the
trigger, but helps to hold the stock, and
this makes my grip more firm and
certain. When push back the ham
MGR / have only TO take my finger off
TO let it fall and discharge the pistol.